Easel type ring binder



Aug. 8, 1967 Filed Sept. 27, 1965 H. w. ORTH EASEL TYPE RING BINDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Henry Dr} 11 H. w. ORTH EASEL TYPE RING BINDER Aug. 8, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 27, 1965 dmuw lu Henry W Uri/h Aug. 8, 1967 H. w. ORTH 3,334,920

EASEL TYPE RING BINDER Filed Sept. 27, 1965 a Sheets-Sheet 5 E212"): W Urih MM United States Patent cousin Filed Sept. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 490,410 1 Claim. (Cl. 281-33) This invention relates to easel type loose leaf ring binders, and more particularly to the type of loose leaf binder having cover portions that hinge or fold along a transverse line across the binder to enable the binder to be converted to a display device by which sheets in the binder are held in a more or less upright position.

Loose leaf easel type binders of the general type to which this invention relates are well known. In general such a binder comprises a ring carrier having rings at its front, and a cover comprising an elongated spine element which normally overlies the rear of the ring carrier and a pair of cover elements which are hingedly connected to opposite longitudinal edges of the spine element to fold in the usual manner of book covers. A hinge or fold line extends transversely across the cover and spine elements, dividing each of said elements into top and bottom panels. One panel of the spine element is flatwise attached to the ring carrier, while the other panel of the spine ele ment is free to swing toward and from the ring carrier. When all of the panels are in coplanar relationship with one another, the swingable spine panel and its laterally adjacent cover panels can be swung about the hinge line to an easel or display position. i

In past easel type ring binders it was usually the top panel of the spine element that was swingable relative to the ring carrier, so that when the binder was in its easel position the several spine and cover panels were disposed in an arrangement resembling a pup tent, from which the ring carrier projected upwardly. Hence the upper portions of sheets in the binder were supported only by the upper ring or rings of the ring carrier, and substantially rigid flippers or backing members had to be provided to prevent the upper, outer corners of the sheets from drooping to positions at which they were not readily visible.

Such prior binders also had the disadvantage that some locking means had to be provided to hold the top panels in their easel forming position and prevent them from swinging back to coplanar relationship with the bottom panels, and such locking means required attention or manipulation whenever the binder was converted to or from its easel configuration.

It is a general object of the present invention, by contrast, to provide an easel type binder which does not possess the disadvantages of prior devices of this type and which, more particularly, is so arranged that the bottom panels of the spine and cover elements are swingable relative to the ring carrier to cooperate with the lower portion of the ring carrier in providing an easel base, leaving the top cover panels in their normal positions so that they can support the upper portions of sheets in the binder; and wherein the locking means which holds the bottom panels in' their easel forming positions requires neither manipulation nor attention when the binder is converted to and from its easel configuration.

Another general object of this invention is to provide an easel type ring binder which is sturdy, is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and is very convenient to use.

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A further .object of this invention is to provide an easel type binder of the character described consisting of a ring carrier and spine and cover elements that comprise hingedly connected top and bottom panels, wherein the bottom panels of the spine and cover elements are swingable toward and from the ring carrier and wherein a locking member that limits swinging motion of the bottom panels can also serve for reinforcement of the bottom panel of the spine element.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiments of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate several complete examples of physical embodiments of the invention constructed according to the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of an easel type ring binder embodying the principles of this invention shown in its book-closed condition;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view, with portions cut away, of the binder shown in FIGURE 1, illustrated in its book-open condition;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the binder illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, but shown in its easel configuration and with a portion of the ring carrier cut away;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of a slightly modified embodiment of the binder, in the condition illustrated in FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional View on a larger scale, taken on the plane of the line 55 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view generally corresponding to FIGURE 3 but illustrating another modified embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along the longitudinal centerline of the ring carrier in FIGURE 6, showing the binder in its normal book-open condition; and

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 but showing the binder in its easel configuration.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 5 designates generally the easel type ring binder of this invention, which comprises, in general, a ring carrier 6 having a plurality of forwardly projecting coaxial rings 7, and a cover comprising an elongated spine element 8 which normally overlies the rear of the ring carrier and a pair of cover elements 9 which have hinge connections 10 to the spine element along the opposite longitudinal edges thereof. Extending all across the cover, intermediate and parallel to the top and bottom edges thereof, is a hinge or fold line 14 which divides the spine element 8 into hingedly connected top and bottom panel-s 12 and 13 and likewise divides each of the two cover elements 9 into hingedly connected top and bottom panels 15 and 16.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that each of the several panels can comprise a substantially stiff board 18. Inner and outer facings 19, each comprising a sheet of plastic fabric or the like that extends across the full height and width of the binder, overlie the inner and outer faces of the boards and provide the hinge connections between panels. If two sheets of plastic fabric are used for the inner and outer facings, they can be heat sealed to one another, as at 21, all around the edges of the binder, to provide a neat trim, and along the several hinge lines 10 and 14 to provide supple hinge connections between the panels, each board being slightly spaced from its neighbors to facilitate folding along the hinge lines thus defined.

The ring carrier 6, as is customary, comprises a trans versely arched front plate 24 and a flat back plate 25 secured together with their longitudinal edges in contact, by rivets 22. This forms a hollow housing for the mechanism (not shown) by which the rings 7 that project through openings in the arched front plate can be opened in the usual manner to provide for insertion and removal of suitably punched sheets (not shown). Two of the rivets 22, in addition to securing the front and back plates of the ring carrier together, also secure the ring carrier to the top spine panel 12. The bottom spine panel 13 has no direct securement to the ring carrier. Hence when all of the bottom panels 13 and 16 are coplanar, they are free to swing toward and from the ring carrier about the hinge line 14. When the bottom panels 13 and 16 are swung away from the ring carrier 6, to an easel forming position in which they are nearly normal to the ring carrier (see FIGURES 3 and 4), the lower edges of the bottom panels and the lower end of the ring carrier cooperate to provide a stable easel base for the binder, while the top cover panels 15 provide adequate support and backing for sheets in the binder, whereby such sheets are maintained in flat condition.

The bottom spine panel 13 and its laterally adjacent cover panels 16 are prevented from swinging beyond a predetermined distance from the lower end of the ring carrier 6 by stop means 23. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 2-5, the stop means 23 comprises a hook-like member 26 secured to the bottom spine panel 13 and projecting through a slot 27 in the metal back plate of the ring carrier.

The hook-like member 26 has a flat body portion 28 which overlies the inner face of the bottom spine panel 13 and is secured to said panel as by means of one or more rivets 30. Preferably, as best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, the flat body portion 28 of the member 26 extends substantially the full length of the bottom spine panel, to provide a reinforcement therefor; but it can be substantially short, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, if reinforcement of the bottom spine panel is not required. At its upper end, adjacent to the hinge line 14, the member 26 is bent forwardly and slightly downwardly to provide a hook portion or tongue 29 which is disposed at an acute angle to its fiat main body portion 28 and which projects through the slot 27 in the metal back plate 25.

It will be apparent that the tongue 29 on the member 26 cooperates with the metal back plate 25 to provide a sort of hinge-like motion limiting connection between the two panels 12 and 13 of the spine element 8. As the bottom spine panel 13 is swung away from the lower end portion of the ring carrier 16, the tongue 29 on the member 26 and the front face of the plate 25 provide opposing abutments which engage (see FIGURE to limit swinging motion of the bottom spine panel away from the ring carrier.

Note that the weight of the binder holds the stop means 23 in the abutment engaged position, so that the binder tends to remain in its easel configuration as long as it is resting on a substantially horizontal surface, and that the bottom panels 13 and 16 can be swung into coplanar relationship with the top panels 12 and 15 as soon as the binder is lifted. Thus, as soon as the binder is picked up,

of its attitude and without requiring any manipulation of 4, the stop means or any attention to it. It should also be noted that since the tongue 29 projects through the slot 27 in the back plate 25, it is at all times concealed within the hollow ring carrier. This assures a neat appearance for the binder.

Preferably the lower end portion of the ring carrier is provided with a pad 31 of rubber, polyurethane foam or the like, to prevent the ring carrier from sliding and as a protection for highly finished surfaces on which it may be placed.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES 6, 7 and 8, the stop means 23 which prevents the bottom panels 13 and 16 from swinging more than a predetermined distance from the ring carrier comprises a hinge of a well known type having leaves 32 and 33 which are flatwise secured, as by rivets 34, to the inner faces of the top and bottom spine panels 12 and 13 respectively. The hinge leaves are connected by a pivot pin 35 which is disposed forwardly of the leaves and along the hinge line 14. As is conventional with such hinges, the adjacent end portions of the leaves form cooperating abutments 36 that limit swinging of the hinge in the direction to carry the bottom spine panel away from the ring carrier.

Obviously the hinge leaves could be secured to a pair of adjacent cover panels, instead of to the spine panels, but the spine element provides the most convenient and inconspicuous location for the hinge. It will also be obvious that the lower hinge leaf 33 could be made substantially equal in length to the bottom spine panel 13, so as to provide a reinforcement for the latter.

It will be evident that the binder of this invention can be converted to its easel configuration by merely opening it to bring all of its panels into coplanar relation, and then swinging the bottom panels rearwardly away from the ring carrier as far as they will go. When no longer needed as a display unit, the binder is simply picked up and its bottom panels are permitted to swing back to coplanar relation with the top ones, whereupon the cover elements can be closed in the usual book fashion to dispose them in the FIGURE 1 configuration. The locking means is completely automatic, in that it requires no special manipulation or attention at any time.

From the foregoing description taken together with the accompanying drawings it will be apparent that the easel type ring binder of this invention is sturdy, simple, unusually easy to manipulate to and from its easel configuration and provides good support for the sheets bound therein when in its easel configuration.

What is claimed as my invention is:

An easel type binder having an elongated ring carrier comprising a transversely arched front plate and a fiat back plate secured together in edge-to-edge engagement to form a hollow housing, the ring carrier having rings on its front, an elongated spine element normally overlying the back of the ring carrier and a pair of cover elements hingedly connected to the spine element along its opposite longitudinal edges, and wherein each of said elements comprises upper and lower panels that are hingedly connected along a line that extends transversely across all three elements,

said binder being characterized by:

(A) the upper spine panel being attached to the back of the ring carrier and the lower spine panel being swingably movable relative to the ring carrier so that the lower panels when coplanar with one another can be swung flatwise away from the lower end portion of the ring carrier;

(B) the back plate of the ring carrier having a transverse slot therein adjacent to the hinged connection between the upper and lower spine panels;

(C) a strip of metal secured to and flatwise overlying the front face of the lower spine panel along a substantial portiqn of the length thereof to reinforce the .3 1 2 nd 5 6 (D) stop means for preventing the lower panels from References Cited swinging beyond a predetermined distance from the UNITED STATES PATENTS lower end portion of the ring carrier, said stop means comprising a tongue integral with said strip of metal 686722 11/1901 Golden 248463 and projecting forwardly therefrom through said slot 5 9 401472 11/1909 Oldenbusch 248463 in the back plate of the ring carrier so as to be con- 1041923 10/1912 Weeks 40-4521 cealed within the hollow of the ring carrier, and 1,359,662 11/1920 Blyth 40152'1 said tongue being disposed at an acute included angle OTHER REFERENCES respect to the remamder of Sald Strip to co- Sales Tools Catalog, Published by Sales Tools Inc.

operate with the portion of the back plate which is downwardly adjacent to the slot therein in defining 10 Chlcago In'July1956 1 Sheetbothsldes' abutments that are automatically engaged when the LAWRENCE CHARLES Primary Examiner lower panels are swung flatwise a predetermined distance away from the lower end portion of the ring carrier. 

